


The Lies My Father Told

by little_apollyon



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family, First Love, Grief, Happy Ending?, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 17:54:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18530161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_apollyon/pseuds/little_apollyon
Summary: I promise everything is going to be alright." She believed him. A lie her father told. A girl searching for truth and finding love. To get to the truth she must go through the pain of being lied to. Who knew love could cause pain? Isn't that true?





	1. Nightmare

**Prologue**

A gun sounded off in the air

A howl of rage pierced the night

A small child is woken by the noise

She slowly gets out of bed rubbing her eyes. Still half asleep, she walks out of the room to the edge of the stairs. She hears voices, footsteps and sirens but she doesn't understand. Slowly, she walks down the steps, nobody notices her. They are all preoccupied. She sees her dad and strange men all in a circle.

"Daddy?" she calls.

He turns around at the sound of her voice, surprised. "What are you doing up? Go back to bed."

"Where's mommy?" she asks.

He blinks back tears. "She left."

"When is she coming back?"

"Never _,_ " he says.

He walks over to her limbs, laden with grief, and lifts the girl in his arms, and as they walk away, the strange men move and she looks over her shoulder and sees.

"Mommy!" she calls and he struggles with her as she tries to get down.

"Come on, be a good girl for daddy and let's go upstairs."

"I want to see mommy!"

And she starts to cry so he lets her down and she runs to the figure on the ground, and sees it's covered in red.

"Mommy," she calls softly. Silence. She gets closer.

"No," he calls out trying to shield her from the horrific view and she peers around his body and a gasp leaves her own. She turns and says: "Daddy why is mommy covered in blood?"

* * *

 

Everything fades and the nightmare ends

The lights come on and reality begins

As you struggle to get your bearings

You realize your dream was real


	2. Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a dream right?

She bolts awake and tries to fight back the tears. It was just a dream. _Just a dream..._ She chants in her head but she knows better. This dream felt too real, she can still remember her mother's lifeless body as it lay covered in a pool of her own blood. She swallows back the bile rising in her throat. Yes, that was not a dream. It was a nightmare, one she revisits every night.

She looks at her clock, 7:40 am, time to get up anyway for school. As she goes to the bathroom, she walks by her mirror. Staring back at her is a spitting image of her mother: red hair, green eyes, freckled face. Her father can't stand to look at her from time to time because it reminds him of _her_.

After her shower, she gets ready for school and descends down those same stairs as 12 years ago. When she gets downstairs it's very quiet.

"Pa?" she calls.

She walks into the dining room. It's empty just like every morning but today she thought he would be there knowing what day it is. And the tears start up again. She quickly blinks them back as she remembers her dad's words. _Tears are a sign of weakness_. She begins to walk away when she spots a piece of paper. She picks it up and reads: _I'm sorry I can't be here today you know why. I won't be home for dinner either. Don't stay out late love, Kenny_.

She laughs, typical but she expected him to be here for her. But of course, he let her down _again_ and she is left _alone_. She might as well be an orphan, that's what it feels like. She crumples the paper and throws it out. She picks up her bag and leaves the house but she doesn't go to school, she goes to the only friend she has, the boy next door.

She knocks on the door and it opens quickly. Damien takes one look at her and takes her in his arms. The tears finally fall. He's the only person she can be herself around. He pulls her in the house and takes her to his room and lies down with her, letting her cry. He sits them up and wipes the tears from her face. He looks into her eyes, the eyes that haunt his dreams.

"Do you need to talk?" he asks quietly.

"No," she says and turns her face away.

"Gaëlle," he says.

"What?" she snaps.

"It's okay to be angry," Damien says "but I still think you should talk about it."

She explodes. "Talk about what! How my father abandoned me just like my mother! How I feel so alone!"

"You're not alone," Damien interrupts.

She continues like she didn't hear him. "And how I don't feel loved!"

Damien looks down. "Gaëlle I Love You."

"It's not the same."

_But it is,_ he thinks... he just doesn't know how to tell her.

"Come on, let's go," she says.

"Where to ?"

"Anywhere I need to get out of the house."

As they walk down the street, Gaëlle thinks about what she would be doing if her mother was here... but then she stops because she is not and is never coming back.

Here she is, spending the anniversary of her mother's death with her best friend instead of her father, like it's supposed to be. He said he would be there… He lied. But this is just one of the many lies he told.

* * *

 

You can stand in a crowd

And still feel alone

You can sing out loud

And no one hears

Speak the truth

Yet no one cares

I'm not alone

Or less fortunate

But sometimes I feel like an orphan


	3. Got A Secret? , Can you keep it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has a secret

**GPOV**

Everything you told me was a lie.

How can I believe you this time?

* * *

 

She's getting ready for bed. It's early for her, but she needs the sleep. She's physically and emotionally tired from the day's events. Although being with Damien made it somewhat better. They went to the park and just talked and then he took her out for dinner. He's so good to her and has always been there when she needed him. _What would she do without him?_

As she's about to get into her bed, she hears the door open downstairs. That's weird. Her father is never home this early.

She hears him call up the stairs, "Elle baby girl."

She's shocked; he never calls her that anymore. Before she can think too much of that, she hears him stumbling up the stairs and sighs. Of course he's drunk. She thought he would go to his room, but he surprises her again and comes into her room. He looks a mess. His eyes are red from crying. She guesses he's too drunk to notice or care, but the next words out of his mouth aren't what she expected.

"I did something that still haunts me forever."

"Pa, are you okay?"

"Oh Elle, I did it. I didn't mean to, but I did." He starts to sob uncontrollably.

"Pa, you're drunk. Maybe you should lie down?" She moves to take him to his room. With her arm around him, they struggle on their way to the next room.

"I'm sorry," he cries.

"Pa," she says. He looks into her eyes, filled with uncertainty.

"I killed her."

She stops dead in her tracks and looks him in the eyes.

"I don't understand."

"I killed your mother," he says and bursts into more nerve wracking sobs. She's not really listening as she stands there, trying to comprehend his words.

She looks back at her dad who fell asleep on the floor. She drags him to bed and lies awake, replaying those words in her head. _How drunk was he for him to say that? What did he mean exactly?_ She falls asleep wondering. It's not a restful night. As soon as she closes her eyes, the nightmare begins.

* * *

 

Everything you say

Is followed by lies

You created a web of deceit

You built pain in words

* * *

 

**DPOV**

He paces back and forth thinking hard. He had a good time with Gaëlle earlier and that's where his thoughts goes. Always on his mind and in his heart; the way she smiles with the hint of a dimple and when she laughs it's contagious. It's a feel-good sound, and he has loved her ever since they were kids. He would always have her back and be there for her, a shoulder to cry on and someone to tell secrets to. He stops pacing. The secrets he told her; everything but the biggest secret in his life, one he stumbled upon. He can never tell her. It would crush her and he can never hurt her, hurt someone so precious so vulnerable. Yes he would keep it to himself, no matter the burden he carries. She can never know, and so his mind takes him back 12 years ago.

_It was a beautiful night. He was looking out the window and saw three figures walking. As they got closer, he saw who they were; two men and one woman. They were arguing, voices so loud. One man looked pissed, and he was shouting. Damien opened the window and he caught the last words._

" _You whore! You mean to tell me that's not my daughter."_

" _Please calm down," the woman said quietly. He looked like he wanted to hurt her._

_The other man spoke up, he had a deep voice. "I was always the better looking brother." He made a grab for him and was about to punch him when the woman jumped between them._

" _Kenny, please stop!" He jerked away from her._

" _Don't touch me," he spat at her and turned to the other man. "You are no longer my brother. If you ever come near me again, I will kill you," he hissed and turned to leave. Damien was shocked when he heard a noise behind him and turned around to find his parents. His mom rushed to him._

" _Oh Damien you shouldn't have heard that." His dad went and closed the window._

" _But Ma, I don't understand."_

" _When you are older, you will."_

_Three years later, things started to make sense. Damien didn't mean to hear but he did and he understood a lot. He heard his parents talking about Gaëlle mom's death. They were saying it wasn't an accident, but the reason was surprising. Her mom was cheating with her brother in law._

_Dad was jealous but what knocked him off his feet was his mother's response._

" _Do you know the real father?"_

" _His brother," his mom replied._

_That was all he needed to know. He ran out the house and went next door to tell Gaëlle, but what stopped him was seeing Gaëlle's dad and another man arguing. It was the same man from that night; the one with the deep voice. He got a good look at him; dark hair, muscled with tattoo's all over. It was his eyes. They were so dark. As he turned to go, he tripped and the man faced him._

Damien would always remember those eyes and the secret he has always kept. Of course he has another secret that everyone knows except _her_. Everyone knows Damien loves Gaëlle. He goes to sleep with her on his mind and her eyes haunting his dreams.

* * *

 

_Got a secret can you keep it?_

_Swear this one you'll save_

_Better lock it in your pocket_

_Taking this one to the grave_

_If I show you then I know you_

_Won't tell what I said_

_Cause two can keep a secret_

_If one of them is dead_

_(The Pierces-Secret)_


	4. The truth will set me free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forever a prisoner in my own misery

**GPOV**

Gaëlle wakes up to the house empty but it doesn't matter anymore. She's still in a daze from last night with her father's drinking and the drunken confession. She keeps replaying those words in her head. She wants to go to Damien's house, but she already missed a day of school.

School goes by in a blur. People are extra nice to her, always asking questions―questions she can't answer and questions she does not want to answer until she knows the truth. _But what is the truth?_

After school she goes straight home, only stopping when she gets to Damien's house. She has homework but that can wait. She walks up to the door but before she can knock it opens.

"Hey,'' Damien says.

"Hey." She still looks confused.

"I saw you coming," he explains and motions for her to come in. They get settled in the living room and sit on the couch. She looks around.

"Are your parents here?"

"No."

"Good, because I have to tell you something," she says urgently. He looks at her and for the first time she notices the color of his eyes.

 _He is beautiful…_ _Where did that come from?_ She shakes her head.

"Gaëlle?" He asks. She takes a deep breath.

"So last night my father came home drunk, and he came in my room saying… and started telling that he did something… and then he started apologizing..."

"What?" he interrupts.

"Let me finish. So, I was like 'are you ok?' And then..." She stops speaking, still not sure.

"Gaëlle," Damien urges.

"And then he said 'I killed her' _."_ There's a long pause. She looks at Damien. He's frozen.

"What... Do you mean... Killed who?" he whispers.

"Damien, don't act stupid. He said, and I quote, 'I killed your mother' end quote."

"But he was drunk. Come on, you can't believe him," Damien replies but he doesn't sound sure.

"I know, I know. It's just he never did that before."

"Well, maybe you should ask him."

"Maybe I will."

"Come on. Let's go to our park and forget about this."

He smiles at her and that smile is her undoing. It makes her heart beat faster. She walks out first. _What is wrong with me? I've known him since forever, why would I feel like this now?_

When they get to the park it's empty, but that's good because she likes the quiet. They spent many parts of their childhood here, and it's a place away from home, away from all the problems. It's a safe haven. She turns to him and says: "Race you to the swings!" and starts running.

"Cheater," he shouts.

She just laughs and runs. It feels good to run with the wind, blowing like its blowing away her problems. He catches up to her and they sit, swinging and talking away the afternoon. She smiles all the way through.

* * *

* * *

 

_Smile_

_The world smiles with you_

_Smile_

_Your beauty shines through_

_Smile_

_This smile is for you_

* * *

 

**DPOV**

His afternoon is spent at the park with a beautiful girl full of smiles and laughter. When it's almost dark, they get ready to go. They part ways at the end. He walks away from her and right into _him;_ the man with dark eyes and deep voice. He knows he is not to be messed with.

"You must be Damien," he says and Damien looks at him in shock. "I know everything."

Damien finally speaks and asks, "What do you want?"

"I want you to keep your mouth shut and not tell her." Damien looks confused. "You know my daughter?" Damien knows he's in deep as the man speaks again, "I know you have information on that night, so let's have a talk." He motions to a black jeep on the side of the road. "After you." Damien looks to the car and back.

''Don't think about running, because I will find you. Don't worry I won't hurt you," he pauses. "Unless I have to." He smiles an eerie smile.

 

**GPOV**

When she gets home she's surprised to see her father there. He's in the kitchen cooking. _He is actually cooking._

"Hey you hungry?" he asks. She just stares at him.

"Who are you and what have you done to my father?" She looks around he laughs, _actually laughs._

"Are you eating or not?"

"No, actually I lost my appetite." She begins to go upstairs when she remembers. She takes a deep breath and asks "Pa?"

"Yes."

"Do you know… do you know who killed my mother?"

She hears his intake of breath and a dish clatter. She turns around to see him looking at her. "Well do you?" He shakes his head and then he gets angry.

"You know we've been over this before." She looks at him he sighs. "I don't know," he says.

"Did they ever find the killer?"

He flinches at the word _killer_. "No, Gaëlle. We've been through this before. Stop asking questions."

She turns around and goes upstairs. She sits in her room digesting what she just heard. _I don't know._ But she knows better. She knows he wouldn't have told her drunk or not. It slipped out accidentally, and now she wants to know more than ever. She's determined and vows to find out who killed her mother if it's the last thing she does. First she has to sift through the lies her father told her and find out the truth.

* * *

 

It's the elephant in the room

And we pretend that we don't see it

It's the avalanche that looms above our heads

And we don't believe it


	5. Missing Piece

**GPOV**

_A piece of a puzzle_

_Fitting together_

_Just now finding_

_The missing link_

* * *

 

Gaëlle wakes up to the sun shining and birds chirping. It's a beautiful morning, the kind that puts you in a good mood and makes you want to sing. But singing is the last thing on her mind. Her mind is filled with questions, questions left unanswered and today she will seek them out. Today is Saturday, the day her dad goes out of town, so that will leave her with the whole weekend to at least find something: a clue, the truth?

She is in her dad's room, looking through the box of papers he keeps: details, newspapers, a police report etc. All pertaining to her mom's death. She doesn't know why he keeps it but she's glad. She has looked over this before but maybe she missed something. As she looks through it again she sees something, a piece of paper lost between the others. It's the rest of the report and as she scans through it, she's surprised and horrified at what she just found. One word stands out: suicide.

She drops the paper, feeling sick. _How could she?_ Gaëlle thinks. _D_ _idn't she love me?_ She hates to think like that. _Is the cause of death a lie too?_ She leaves the room in a hurry, wanting to tell Damien about what she found. She's getting more dependent on him and she finds herself thinking about him more. She knows she's falling and she hopes he'll be there to catch her.

* * *

 

**? POV**

She sits and waits. She can't believe she's here, in this place. She never thought she would see it again. A place she used to call home. And here she is, getting sad thinking about it. Nothing she can do now but lie low. So she sits and waits and watches. She blinks back the tears threatening to spill. She watches and thinks about what could have been. He took that away from her, took her away. _He will reap what he sowed._ And with that on her mind, she goes to meet an old friend.

* * *

* * *

 

**GPOV**

She's surprised that Damien isn't home. He's always home and most importantly answers when she calls so she decides to go looking for him at the park. But she's worried because he's nowhere to be found and as she's walking back home all alone, that worry turns into sadness.

She's on her way when she bumps into someone from school. Kevin is his name; she talks to him sometimes at school. Well, he doesn't talk to anybody really; she guesses she's the exception. They don't say much, just the usual questions. His silence is strangely welcoming. At least she doesn't feel so alone anymore. He walks her to her house and leaves. As soon as he's gone, the sadness comes back more powerful than ever and she's back to missing Damien. _Is this how it feels to fall in love?_ She's never whole when he's away. It just took her some time to see a part of herself is missing.

* * *

 

_And where are you now, now that I need you?_

_Tears on my pillow wherever you go_

_I'll cry me a river that leads to your ocean_

_You never see me fall apart_

_In the words of a broken heart_

_It's just emotion taking me over_

_Caught up in sorrow_

_Lost in the song_

_But if you don't come back_

_Come home to me, darling_

_Don't you know there's nobody left in this world to hold me tight_

_Nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight_

_Goodnight, goodnight_

_(Destiny child-emotion)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my very first stories i have ever written and it all started with a dream. It’s funny how it started out as original work before my foray into fan-fiction. My first time writing a story and posting it, feels weird reading it again but noticing how much I have grown with my writing and seeing my little drabble poems i included. Ah i miss it


End file.
